"For me, Vinny has been a guy, him and Marty (St. Louis), since Day One, since I first got to the team, I've been able to look up to. Those are the veteran guys that took me under their wings and showed me the ropes, not only with what they have done with me but, Vinny in particular, the legacy he has with this organization. From a hockey standpoint and a community standpoint, it was a tough day for Tampa. It's probably not going to hit us until we get to training camp and Vinny is not there with us. You are used to not seeing each other that much over the summer, but when all the guys get together, that's when it's going to really hit us."Lightning C Steven Stamkos"While it's hard to think of Vinny Lecavalier playing for anyone other than the Tampa Bay Lightning, we at All Children's Hospital know that part of his heart will always remain here. Through 15 years, he's established roots in the Tampa Bay area with family and many friends - key among them the kids who are treated at the Vincent Lecavalier Center for Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders at All Children's. Vinny and his family are familiar faces on the patient floor. And though his visits may become less frequent going forward with another team, we look forward to seeing Vinny here regardless of what hockey sweater he may be wearing. He will always be a champion for children with cancer - especially those being treated in the All Children's center that bears his name."Sylvia Ameen, vice president of the All Children's Hospital Foundation

"The locker room, the back of the bus, the back of the plane, everything, the dinners. On the ice, obviously. But we spent a lot more time off the ice than we actually did on the ice. It's going to be hard to picture him on another team. But it's a game. I knew it was a possibility, but when it actually is official, it's weird to think of him on another team."Lightning F Marty St. Louis"For me, it's a new challenge. ... It's a tough day, but at the same time, I'm so motivated. I know I'm going to be somewhere else. It's going to be a different challenge, but I'm so motivated to go somewhere else and prove I can play at a high level. I want to win. So, I'm really excited about that."Vinny Lecavalier"Lecavalier, 33, adds a tempting option in a UFA center class that otherwise was led by the likes of Derek Roy, Mike Ribeiro and Stephen Weiss. At the right price, Lecavalier would be one heck of an addition as the No. 2 center on a good team. Of course, it didn't take long for Lecavalier's buyout to be announced for people to link him to his native Montreal. Let's be honest: It would be cool to see him in a Canadiens uniform after all these years of trade rumors linking him there."Pierre LeBrun, NHL writer for ESPN.com

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